Pointe Coupee Parish, Louisiana
Pointe Coupee Parish, pronounced "Pwent Koo-Pay" and (pronounced "Point Coo-Pea" in English) ( ), is a parish located in the U.S. state of Louisiana. The parish seat is New Roads. As of 2000, the population was 22,763. Pointe Coupee Parish is part of the Baton Rouge Metropolitan Statistical Area as well as the Baton Rouge–Pierre Part Combined Statistical Area. Geography The parish has a total area of 590 square miles (1,530 km²), of which, 557 square miles (1,444 km²) of it is land and 33 square miles (86 km²) of it (5.64%) is water. The land consists mainly of prairies and backswamp. Major highways Pointe Coupee Parish has 498.98 miles of highways within its borders.LSP - Troop Info - Troop A * U.S. Highway 190- currently the only four lane roadway in the parishLouisiana @ SouthEastRoads - U.S. Highway 190Profile: Pointe Coupee Parish * Louisiana Highway 1 Minor Highwways Major Waterways * Atchafalaya River * False River * Mississippi River * Old River * Red River Adjacent parishes *Concordia Parish (north) *West Feliciana Parish (northeast) *West Baton Rouge Parish (east) *Iberville Parish (south) *St. Martin Parish (southwest) *St. Landry Parish (west) *Avoyelles Parish (northwest) National protected area * Atchafalaya National Wildlife Refuge (part) History The Parish of Pointe Coupee was formed in 1805 in the Territory of Orleans (statehood for Louisiana followed in 1812). There were minor boundary adjustments with neighboring parishes up through 1852 when its boundaries stabilized. Demographics | footnote=Pointe Coupee Parish Census Data http://oseda.missouri.edu/mscdc/census/us/trend/counties/S22LA/C22077 }} As of the census of 2000, there were 22,763 people, 8,397 households, and 6,171 families residing in the parish. The population density was 41 people per square mile (16/km²). There were 10,297 housing units at an average density of 18 per square mile (7/km²). The racial makeup of the parish was 68.91% White, 29.61% Black or African American, 0.17% Native American, 0.25% Asian, 0.32% from other races, and 0.56% from two or more races. 1.08% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. 93.61% of the population spoke only English at home, while 4.89% spoke French or Cajun French and 0.96% spoke Spanish.http://www.mla.org/cgi-shl/docstudio/docs.pl?map_data_results There were 8,397 households out of which 35.20% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 53.70% were married couples living together, 15.30% had a female householder with no husband present, and 26.50% were non-families. 23.40% of all households were made up of individuals and 11.10% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.67 and the average family size was 3.17. In the parish the population was spread out with 27.30% under the age of 18, 8.80% from 18 to 24, 27.00% from 25 to 44, 23.10% from 45 to 64, and 13.90% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females there were 94.40 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 90.70 males. The median income for a household in the parish was $30,618, and the median income for a family was $36,625. Males had a median income of $35,022 versus $20,759 for females. The per capita income for the parish was $15,387, ranking 23rd out of 64 parishes. About 18.70% of families and 23.10% of the population were below the poverty line, including 30.20% of those under age 18 and 23.90% are the age of 65 and older. The center of population of Louisiana is located in Pointe Coupee Parish, in the city of New Roads http://www.census.gov/geo/www/cenpop/statecenters.txt. Cities and towns Incorporated *Fordoche *Livonia *Morganza *New Roads Unincorporated Education Schools The Pointe Coupee Parish School Board serves the parish. As of 2008 the sole secondary school operated by the parish school board is Livonia High School, serving grades 7 through 12. Pointe Coupee Central High School became a charter school in 2008. Private *Catholic Elementary of Pointe Coupee / Catholic High School of Pointe Coupee *False River Academy Hurricanes In 2008 Pointe Coupee was one of the communities that suffered the most damage by Hurricane Gustav. Notable natives and residents * Emmitt Douglas (1926–1981) - President of the Louisiana NAACP from 1966–1981, resided in New Roads from 1949–1981 * Albin Provosty (1865–1932) - Newspaper editor, preservationist (St Francis Church -oldest in Miss Valley), State Senator, District Attorney, Member and leader LA Constitutionalm Conventions of 1913 & 1921, President, La State Bar Association, builder of "Provosty Hall". * Auguste Provosty (1818–1868) - State Senator, Member of 1860-61 La Secession Convention - Chaired Committee which produced the bilingual Secession Ordinance. * Bennet Barton Simmes, State Senator who lived at White Hall Plantation, Legonier * Buddy Guy, Singer and Performer * Catherine D. (Kitty) Kimball Chief Justice of LA Supreme Court. * Charles Parlange Chief Justice of LA Supreme Court. *Chris Williams plays offensive tackle for the Chicago Bears. * deLesseps Story Morrison (1912–1964) was born in New Roads. * Ernest Gaines- Author * James Ryder Randall: Poet, Teacher at Poydras Academy, 1856-1860 (wrote Maryland, My Maryland while in Pointe Coupée). * Julien Poydras - 1st Territorial Representative for Louisiana; 1st State Senate President, philanthropist. * Lindy Boggs (born 1916) - former U.S. Representative and U.S. Ambassador to the Holy See * Major General John Archer Lejeune * Paul Raymond Smith (born 1959), former Pointe Coupee Parish sheriff * Russel L. Honoré * Olivier Otis Provosty (1852–1924) - State Senator, Member of 1898 Constitutional Convention, Chief Justice of La Supreme Court * Zénon LeDoux, Jr. (1820–1850) - Member and Leader, Louisiana Constitutional Convention of 1845; Louisiana Secretary of State, 1848-1850. See also *National Register of Historic Places listings in Pointe Coupee Parish, Louisiana * Pointe Coupee Parish Sheriff's Office References External links * Pointe Coupee Interactive Map * Official Pointe Coupee Parish website * Official Pointe Coupee Parish Sheriff's Office website * [http://www.nps.gov/history/nr/travel/louisiana/ Explore the History and Culture of Southeastern Louisiana, a National Park Service Discover Our Shared Heritage Travel Itinerary] * Pointe Coupee at the Millennium Documentary Photography Project Category:parishes of Louisiana Category:Acadiana Category:Pointe Coupee Parish, Louisiana Category:Baton Rouge metropolitan area